GM's Journal - July 1895
Wednesday 3rd July, 1895 Arrive at Lincoln island and Drop Anchor. After dinner there is much discussion as to how to proceed. Thurday 4th July, 1895 They sail around the island, with Cheng performing some kind of mystical divination in the hopes of finding the resting place of Prince Dakkar, or his fabled underwater conveyance. On the far side of the Island to the bay in which they first dropped anchor, Cheng divines something hidden beneath the waves, some distance off shore from where a crypt appears to have been built into the side of the volcano that makes up most of Lincoln Island. Friday 5th July, 1895 They sail back to the bay, and make out overland towards the crypt, arriving shortly before nightfall. Saturday 6th July, 1895 They enter the crypt and find the tomb of Dakkar, standing on a pillar of rock, surrounded by a pool of lava that can be accessed by a narrow stone bridge. It is decided to open the tomb, and inside is a corpse clutching a jewelled sword. Stefan is tempted to take the sword, but does not. Garvin has fewer scruples however, and snatches the valuable looking blade. A rockfall begins, sending splashes of lava around and they flee the crypt. Cheng falls off the bridge, to be saved by his silk robes, snagged on an outcrop. Sunday 7th July, 1895 They return to the other side of the island and begin to dive. Those with Stefan's special 'SCUBA' equipment are able to swim beneath the island to an underwater dock. Sharks attack, but are fought off with the assistane of Jones who throws make-shift depth charges with surprising accuracy! Entering the Nautilus they are surprised to find it in such good repair - particularly the library. A conversation with Prince Dakkar, or rather his Ghost, convinces him that while there are several English folk amongst the Rippers, they are not an 'arm of the Imperial machine' and he agrees to give them his Nautilus, in return for his Captain's Log being placed in his Crypt, such that his spirit may rest with his body. Stefan throws the log overboard, consigning Dakkar to the Deep ... and tells the others that the Prince has left them ... Monday 8th July, 1895 - Monday 22nd July - The Journey Home The Nautilus makes for northern waters, with Mr. Garvin a the helm. En route the following occurs. *Camila watches a pod of whales swim past the observation window in the Nautilus' Salon. *Jones, meanwhile, is far more interested in the baby whale that go too close to the hull and was shocked by the electrical charge running through it. *Stefan investigates the inner electrical workings of the Nautilus, but, despite his protestation to the contrary, they are more complex than he could have created and he manages to electrocute himself. *Belladonna, inspired by the library on board, tells ghost stories, which somewhat shake Jones. *Cheng explores the armoury and finds an armoured tunic that can, it would seem, also create an electrical field around the wearer similar to the field around the Nautilus. *Sir Robert, while performing maintainance on his pistols, manages to shoot a hole in the hull, that also severs a power relay, slowing down the Nautilus and cutting off the power to the electrified hull. At the same time, a group of Fishmen herd a Giant Octopus to attack the submersible! **There is a great deal of manouvering and jury rigged repairs, but eventually the hull is sealed and re-electrified and the vessel can escape. Tuesday 22nd July Camilla swims ashore, then goes to the London Lodge and contact the younger Van Helsing. He insists that if his father is likely to be at Atlantis, then he must travel with them if they are going to be going there. It is agreed that he should join them, and after taking on supplies, the Nautilus sets sail in search of the fabled city.